Viper - Michael Morley [47]
Jack gazed into the distance. Tried to fish a connection out of the darkness. ‘That’s the mystery we have to solve. And we have to do it quickly. Like we said, this is the worst kind of killer. And the worst kind not only kills again, it always happens sooner than you expect.’
35
Campeggio Castellani, Pompeii
Rosa Novello snuggled up to her boyfriend’s arm as Filippo Valdrano drove his father’s barely roadworthy old Fiat to the back of the campsite. He had the perfect spot in mind. A place where they could be alone. Away from the prying eyes of their parents.
The two families had been holidaying together for years, and since he and Rosa had become engaged their parents’ attention had been suffocating. It was a relief to be on their own.
‘Here’s okay. Don’t you think?’ He drew to a halt and pulled up the handbrake. ‘It’s near the woods we walked in the other day.’
‘It’s just fine.’ She leaned over and kissed him as he turned the engine off.
Filippo swooned, slipped down the straps of her pink top and nuzzled her neck.
‘Wait!’ she said playfully. ‘Let’s at least put the radio on. Get romantic. We don’t have to rush.’
‘Oh, baby. You don’t know how wrong you are. I need to rush. I really need to rush!’
She pushed him away and twirled the dial, her heartbeat as loud as the crackling FM static.
Filippo pulled his T-shirt over his head and she instantly gave up on the music. God, he was hot! Muscled shoulders, rippling abs, not a pinch of flab. She pushed her mouth against his again and felt her breath escaping.
He pulled away. ‘Wait! Hold on, wait!’ He was teasing now, pulling away from her.
She stared at him. ‘Oh, you really want to wait, do you?’
He tried to look disinterested as she slowly peeled off her top and then slowly released her pale-yellow, front-fastening bra.
All his coolness disappeared.
He lunged forward to put his mouth to her breasts.
‘Oh, no, no, no!’ She pressed the flat of her palm against his forehead and held him back. ‘You said wait, so you can wait.’
Christ, he wanted her, ached for her. ‘Let’s push these seats forward and get in the back.’
‘Now, that’s the best idea you’ve had,’ grinned Rosa. She kicked off her gold pumps, unzipped her white jeans and wriggled out of them. She arched her back to slip off her pale-yellow panties and, as she did, he kissed the flat of her stomach. She smelled of coconut body lotion. He cupped her buttocks with his hands and kissed and licked the inside of her thighs.
Rosa wriggled free, laughing as she climbed into the back. Filippo tugged off his shoes and pants. The heat from their bodies was already steaming up the car. ‘I’ll open the window a little,’ he said. He rolled down the passenger side and felt her hand gently rubbing his balls. Her fingers slipped inside his Calvin’s and he gasped as she held him.
‘Jesus, let me get back there!’ Filippo caught a foot on the handbrake as he climbed over but he was beyond feeling pain. Right now there was nothing in the world that could keep him from his woman’s body. Or so he thought.
36
Campeggio Castellani, Pompeii
A shrill scream scythed through the woods. It flew, unseen, like a bat in the blackness of the winter night. Then it thudded to its death against the misted windows of Filippo’s father’s car.
‘Ma che cazzo è? What the fuck was that?’ Rosa pushed Filippo away.
They froze. Stared silently at each other. Afraid to move. Then another chilling cry ripped the night apart.
‘It’s a woman screa–’
Filippo never finished. The next noise was even more distinct and terrifying.
It was a bullet.
Gunfire.
Filippo slid naked into the driver’s seat and turned on the engine and the lights. Whatever was going down was happening close, real close. Too close.
The car’s wheels spun on the soft wet grass. There was no traction. Mud sprayed as the old Fiat lurched forward. The wheels wallowed in the earth as he tried to make a full U-turn. Tried desperately to head back the way they’d come. The car carried